New implant can track the health of organ transplants in real time

The future or organ transplantation could be defined this ultra thin implantable device that can monitor organs' health in real time.

Developed by scientists at Northwestern University, the thin device can be placed directly on the transplant to track its responses, like body temperature shifts, which are then streamed wirelessly to a phone or tablet to alert the patient or their doctor of any changes.

The device was tested on an animal kidney transplant and successfully alerted for a potential organ rejection three weeks earlier than previous methods would have.

Detecting early organ rejection in advance can not only improve patients’ wellbeing but also help preserve the health of donated organs, which in turn can save more lives amid the global organ donation shortage.